A New Beginning
by BooksFanFiction
Summary: After being ridiculed by The Daily Prophet about Ron cheating on her, Hermione leaves the Wizarding World and goes back to muggle London. But after a chance encounter with Draco Malfoy in Diagon Alley, will she be able to move on? Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: The author does not own any recognizable characters, features, or anything regarding the Harry Potter series.**

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Chapter 1

Hermione shivered as she hustled down the muggle streets of London, wrapping her coat around her. The wind blew her bushy hair over her face, and she brushed it away without thinking as she hurried to reach her destination. The roads were deserted, and the lamps lit as it was midnight, September 19. Of course no one would know that is was her birthday; she was of no importance to the Wizarding World now that the threat of Voldemort was gone. And even then Harry and Ron got all of the credit, which wasn't necessarily why she was so sorrowful. It just would have been nice if even they could have stopped by to say "Happy Birthday," like they did in their Hogwarts years.

She slowed down her pace as she stopped outside of the apartment, and fished out her key. Fumbling with it, she opened the door to her home and stepped inside, turning on the light. Throwing her keys onto the counter, she shrugged her boots off and collapsed on the couch, tears free-falling from her eyes, her lashes wet with the salty water. She never imagined that on her birthday she would feel so lonely. So, to celebrate her pitiful birthday, she had travelled to the place where she knew she could find the most comfort: the library.

Even when she was little, Hermione loved to bury herself in the world of books, where the nerdy and uncool girls got the guys, and in the end had a happily-ever after. Or the books where she could lose herself in the fascinating world of facts, where she didn't have to try and prove that she was the smartest one. And Hermione never tried to. It just came naturally to her. People might have complained that she spent too long writing her essays, or that she had to raise her hand for every single question in the class, but she always had a passion for learning, and she wasn't going to let anyone take that away from her. She had already let them take everything else.

At eight in the morning, Hermione had gone to the library, and had immediately pulled out one of her favourite classic novels of all time, Of Mice And Men. She thought the storyline was fitting for such a gloomy day as this one. It was kind of disgraceful that she had to spend her birthday there, but she had learned to accept it a long time ago, and she tried to make the best of it. She chose a beanbag and snuggled up close to it, smelling the scent of the parchment, her eyes greedily absorbing all the information the book had to offer. She hadn't realized the whole day had passed when she finally finished the book, and, weary after her long read, trudged down the streets and finally reached her apartment. Now that she had no distractions, Hermione felt miserable that the best way to spend her birthday was the same way she did everything else: read. Her eyes starting to droop, she slumped into the couch cushions, and soon fell asleep weeping. Her first cry as a 25 year old, but definitely not the last.

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Hermione woke up to the chirping of the birds, as she groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes. She had fallen asleep on the couch, and the memories of her birthday came flooding back to her. She wasn't sure how she had went from beloved war heroine to a stranger who couldn't afford any company on her birthday in just 3 years. But, she did know. And it pained her every time she thought about it. . .

 _FLASHBACK_

 _Hermione Granger was probably the most happiest person alive. And why wouldn't she be? She had everything: fame, money, friends, and a loving fiancé. In fact, she was just on her way to her and Ron's apartment on Christmas Eve; it was almost midnight. She wasn't supposed to be here, but she booked her flight back to London a day early to give Ron something special. It was the holidays after all. Hermione wanted to surprise her soon to be her husband so she silently unlocked the door and kept the lights off. Their wedding was on New Years, and she was going to give him something he had been wanting for a long time, herself. She finally found she could trust him, and wanted to give him the most magnificent Christmas present ever-they would make love at midnight, and 6 days later, become married._

 _As she reached their bedroom, she slowly opened the door and froze at what she saw. Her jaw was wide with shock, and she felt her eyes starting to water. There was her fiancé, naked in bed with Lavender Brown, kissing her and groaning so loud, Hermione didn't know why she couldn't hear it from outside the apartment. And as she stood there, Ron finally opened his eyes and stared right back at Hermione, gaping at her presence. Stuttering he spoke, "H-Hermione? W-What are y-you doing h-here? You're not supposed to be back until tomorrow!" Lavender was smirking at the dumbfounded Hermione, and continued teasing Ron. Hermione didn't say anything, just stood there as her tears began to fall, and she shut the door. Without saying anything else, she packed her belongings and apparated to muggle London, crying silently on the streets for the entire night._

 _The wedding still took place, only instead of Ron marrying Hermione, he was marrying Lavender. Of course Harry and the Weasleys all sided with Ron, but what pained Hermione the most was that Ron didn't even apologize, and dared to send an invitation to the wedding. She didn't go; she couldn't see her first love marry another who was only in it for the sex. After that, Hermione became an outsider to the Wizarding World. The Daily Prophet ridiculed her in front of everyone, until she just snapped. She quit her job, and moved to a remote apartment in muggle London, where she worked as a muggle doctor. And she was in the exact same place as she was then at 25 years old._

 _END FLASHBACK_

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 ** _I will try to update as often as possible, but tell me how you like it! Should I continue? I'll try to get the next chapter up by next week._**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: The author does not own any recognizable characters, features, or anything regarding the Harry Potter series.**

 **Chapter 2**

Hermione slowly rose from the couch and rubbed her eyes once more, before making her way to the kitchen. Absentmindedly, she started to make some coffee to stimulate her brain. It was a Saturday, so she didn't really have to do anything, but she wasn't exactly looking forward to staying in her apartment right after her birthday. At least she could try and pretend she was happy. Being a doctor, she made quite a bit of money, so perhaps it would be fitting to spend some of it. Maybe on some more books. . .

The only problem was, the books she wanted the most were wizarding ones, and those weren't found anywhere but in Diagon Alley. But for years she had been making peace with the fact that she wasn't a part of that world now. She hadn't visited the Wizarding World ever since the incident with Ron, and she wasn't so keen to start now. She had removed all evidence of that world in her apartment, and she only had a handful of galleons and sickles leftover rotting away in the corner of her bedroom.

Normally, the idea of going back to the Wizarding World would have been crossed off her list without a second thought, but Hermione was getting tired of her boring life; the way she spent her birthday last night was proof of that. She didn't want to spend the rest of it locked up in an apartment like some kind of dungeon. Perhaps her 25th birthday had been some sort of wake-up call for her, but today she could feel her Gryffindor courage seeping back inside of her, the first time ever since she had her heart broken.

This meant that Hermione would have to go into the Wizarding World disguised, grab her books, and hopefully slip out without anyone recognizing her. Of course she would love to stay and explore if no one was watching, but her books would have to suffice for now- or for the rest of her life. And the more she thought about it, the better an idea it seemed to become. She already owned probably all of the books known to muggles, but had only her Hogwarts' textbooks filed away with her galleons and wand. Even though she disliked the people of the Wizarding World didn't mean she had to abandon the information of it. And information was _always_ something she could use.

Mind made up, she finished making her coffee, and sat down on the counter, sipping it quietly and wondering exactly how she was supposed to pull her plan off. A million things could go wrong, not to mention what would happen if someone saw her. It would be just her luck to meet Rita Skeeter in Flourish & Blotts, and within the second, have her face plastered all over the front page of The Daily Prophet. If only there was a way to be invisible. . .

Suddenly Hermione jumped up, spilling her coffee all over the table and herself as she internally smacked herself on the head. She was a witch for heavens' sake; she could cast a Disillusionment Charm! Rushing into her bedroom, she unpacked the bag stuffed in the dark of her closet, and took out her 10 ¾ inch wand. Thankfully, seven years of being the top wizard in all of her classes in Hogwarts had not been wasted. Quickly cleaning up the mess her drink had made, she grabbed the bag, full of sickles and some galleons. Casting a Disillusionment Charm, she then apparated, for the first time in 3 years.

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Landing in the middle of Diagon Alley, Hermione was surprised to see that not much had changed since she had left. Everything looked almost exactly the same, save for the few new inventions that she didn't keep up with- the newest Quidditch broom for example. She knew that would have caused an uproar in the Wizarding World. A small smile gracing her features, she realized how much she truly missed the place. It made her feel more at home than when she was working in the hospital or lounging around in her apartment.

Walking towards Flourish & Blotts, she took in the lovely sight she had yearned to see for so long, and silently opened the door to her favourite bookstore. She knew she could stay inside for hours and still find reasons to stay for a while longer. She could search for any type of books about whatever she found interesting, from some of the most exotic magical creatures that even Hagrid, her Care of Magical Creatures Professor wouldn't have heard of to the history of all of the various charms she had learned over the years. Browsing through the shelves, she ended up lurking in the back, piling up more books than she could carry until she was about to crush under the weight. It seemed she was a bit late though, because as soon as she tried to steady herself, the books came crashing down on top of her, and she fell to the floor.

Unknown to Hermione, her Disillusionment Charm had come undone by another wizard, one who had witnessed multiple books being pulled out of place. He had seen the entire façade unfold and his mouth was wide open, his gaze never leaving when realizing who it was. Standing up, she managed to collect all of her books once again and froze when her chocolate eyes met silver orbs and an unusually pale face, staring in shock at the girl before him. Even after all this time, she still recognized the person in front of her.

 _Draco Malfoy._

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 **Thanks for the reviews and follows everyone! If you don't like anything I have in the story, you can always review it and I'll try to fit it in later in the story. For example, someone reviewed they would think Harry and Ginny would have stood up for Hermione after Ron cheated on her, and I have a plan to make that happen in the end.**

 **Plus, I might update faster if I get more reviews! :)**

 **Also, I updated this chapter early, so don't be surprised if the next update isn't this Sunday, but the next one: December 4th**


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: The author does not own any recognizable characters, features, or anything regarding the Harry Potter series.

 **Sorry for updating 3 days later, I was busy with the Science Fair. So stressful! Anyway, here is another chapter with another cliffhanger! I'm so evil! :)**

 **My next update should still be Sunday, December 11.**

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Chapter 3

Hermione and Draco stood there, staring at each other in amazement, before Hermione finally came to her senses. Dropping the numerous books in her arms, she tore past Malfoy and apparated before he could exchange even one word with her. But she knew that he saw her, and that he knew that it was her.

She couldn't believe this had happened to her! The one time she tries to reconnect with the Wizarding World, she runs into the person she hated the most during their Hogwarts years. Knowing Malfoy, he would probably be jumping up and down with glee with the news he would be able to tell Rita Skeeter. And then, her life would become hell if everyone tried to find her again. She lived in London; it was where the majority of the wizards were anyway. It had been so hard to cover her tracks up the first time, and she wasn't so sure it would hold up another time.

It became clear to her that after that little incident, there was no way she was going to attempt to get in contact with the Wizarding World again. Even though she had failed to obtain the information she wanted, it wasn't worth the risk to see Malfoy or anyone else. She was lucky that she was able to escape this time. Hermione wouldn't put it past Malfoy to anonymously tip Skeeter to have a stakeout in Flourish & Blotts until she showed up to retrieve all the books she had left on the floor in order to hastily exit. But she was smart enough not to fall in the same trap twice.

Since Hermione's plan had epically failed, she had just lost her last shred of hope. That was her one chance to prove that she was still a witch, but she had just shown that she wasn't part of the Wizarding World. No Gryffindor witch would have acted the way she did, on impulse, and then run away like a coward. And it broke her inside to know that that was the truth, but she couldn't pretend to be someone she wasn't. Biting her lip, she cried for the second time since her birthday. Tears fell down her cheeks, as she wrapped her arms around her knees, and buried her face into them, her still bushy hair falling all around her. It seemed like everything that happened made her weak, no matter how small. Weeping, she succumbed to her tired body, and fell asleep, wailing silently at her failure, something she hadn't experienced ever since she lost Ron and her heart.

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Once again, Hermione rose from the floor at the break of dawn, her eyes red and her body brittle. It surprised Hermione though, that she had awaken earlier than most times. Even when it was weekdays, she always woke up near the afternoon, and therefore had to call in late. She always made up lame excuses, and she knew her co-workers didn't believe her, but she never interacted with them on a personal level. No one knew what she had been through, and although they worried about her, she couldn't open up to someone. She had already tried that once, and the result had broken her heart.

Because she had already woken up so early, she decided to go to work early as well, and maybe actually do what she was supposed to do on time. Brushing her teeth and taking a quick shower, she threw some random clothes on and chewed on a bagel and some coffee. Finishing them fast, she decided to walk to work. Usually she drove because she would be running late, but today she needed some fresh air to clear her head. It was only three miles to walk anyway.

As soon as she stepped outside her apartment building, she took a deep breath of the chilly air and sighed inwardly. She felt so lonely at times like this, but her life was just about to get more complicated. With her silent vow to leave the Wizarding World behind, it wouldn't be easy to predict what Malfoy would do, and she had no idea what to expect and how to prepare. How was she supposed to focus on anything else with the prospect of being ridiculed in the Wizarding World and the muggle one? She'd be left with no one; at least now she could look forward to seeing people who actually thought she mattered, even if it was just to help to save lives.

Nearing the hospital, she shook her head and interrupted her train of thought, she had to be immersed in her work if she was going to be productive. She walked inside, and she could tell she surprised Mrs. Phillips, the receptionist. Hermione was almost never on time, let alone early.

"Hello Mrs. Phillips," she replied, seeing the shocked expression on the lady's face.

"Why, hello, Hermione. What brings you so early?" Mrs. Phillips inquired.

Hermione muttered some lame response about how she had nothing to do, which was kind of the sad truth. She nodded her head once, and headed further into the wards. She was met with the same reaction from many of the nurses that she received from Mrs. Phillips, but she didn't take it personally. She knew that it was unusual.

Suddenly, a young nurse, Alice, she believed, rushed up to Hermione and urged her to quickly follow her. Becoming distressed, Hermione quickly moved along with Alice, as she explained the details. Apparently, a patient had collapsed outside of the hospital with blood running down his entire body about twenty minutes before Hermione had arrived. His left side was completely red, and he had suffered massive head injury as well as broken his left leg and several of his ribs. The chances of survival were slim, and he needed urgent care.

Hermione rushed into the emergency room, and stopped dead in her tracks as she realized who it was. There was no mistaking his features even though they were bloody- they had already been swimming in her head for what seemed forever. Never in her entire lifetime did she imagine she would see him ever again, yet she had already seen him twice in less than a week. Once again. . .

Draco Malfoy.

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 **How was it? Please review, I can make another chapter quicker! It's fuel for us authors! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: The author does not own any recognizable characters, features, or anything regarding the Harry Potter series.**

 **Chapter 4**

Hermione's brain couldn't process any of the events right in front of her. A million questions were swarming around in her head, yet no answers presented themselves. How did he get injured? Why had he gone into the muggle world? Was it a coincidence that he had shown up at the hospital she worked at only the day after they had crashed into each other? Why did he look so innocent and cute while he was sleeping (or unconscious)? And had she actually asked herself that last question about the ferret? Unfortunately, Hermione couldn't find the solutions to her problems so quickly. Even though she still hated him as much as she did before, she wouldn't leave him to die at her mercy. That simply wasn't her.

Throwing on her lab coat, she quickly set to work as there was no time to lose. "Check his vitals," she ordered Alice, as she frantically picked out her tools, making sure Malfoy was numb, and in place to be operated on. She told her assistant to call for more surgeons while at the same time clearing up the blood around his head, trying to identify the problem. However, she had a gnawing fear that there was nothing she could do in this instance. Part of the reason she had sent Alice away was because she suspected that this was the work of a wizard. After all, there would always be those radical few that still believed purebloods were not to mingle with muggles. But the effects that were on Malfoy's brain were unlike anything she had seen before.

Whispering multiple healing spells that she had acquired at her time during Hogwarts, she managed to rid all bloody areas, clean up her patient, and place temporary healing spells on his brain. She wasn't exactly sure what she would be able to do, but for now it would have to suffice. Hermione made sure that his pulse was normal, and his vitals in check, before announcing over the speaker that the man in room 356 was stabilized. Not wanting to risk anything, she conjured a chair and placed herself in a comfortable position, wondering how the events of her new year were becoming so disorientated.

In just two days, everything she had ever thought she was in control of had simply vanished. Just as she had been severing ties from everything in her childhood, it had crashed down all upon her without a moment's notice, and now she was concerned with the man that had tormented her since she was 11 years old. And that very man just happened to have almost died the day after they had run into each other when she decided to gain a piece of her childhood back. And that very man also just happened to have collapsed in front of the hospital Hermione was in charge in, and that too on the first day she decided to come into work early. Was it all just a coincidence, or part of something bigger?

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Hermione was just about ready to succumb to her tiredness, even though it being only 10 o'clock in the morning, when she noticed the first signs of movement in the so far stiff body of Malfoy. His fingers started to curl, and his knuckles cracked before he fluttered his eyelids open, and gave a weak grunt. Turning his head, he seemed shocked as his gray irises widened at the sight of her, who was staring back intently at him. "What are you doing here?" Malfoy croaked, and coughed violently as the first words came out of his mouth.

She didn't realize it, but Hermione looked like a mess sitting there on the chair in front of Malfoy's bed. Her hair was wild from her odd position on the seat, and since she hadn't done much to her face when she went to work today, there were bags under her eyes. She looked nothing like what she had when Malfoy had run into her – or rather when she had run into him – yesterday at Flourish and Botts. Yet Malfoy thought she looked like an angel, sent to help him from his pain. And boy, had he suffered a lot of pain when they had shot at him.

"I think the better question is what are YOU doing here Malfoy? You show up at 7:00 in the morning in front of a muggle hospital I work, in the muggle world, one day after you see me in a wizarding library in the wizarding world, on the one day I just happen to decide to go to work early almost dead." Hermione retorted, a bit irritated at the fact that he seemed to be blaming her for saving his life.

Malfoy didn't say anything in response; he just turned around to lay on his back once more and closed his eyes. They stayed like that for a few minutes, in an uncomfortable silence, until he spoke. "You couldn't save me, could you?"

What he said momentarily startled her. How did he know? Or more importantly, did he know what had happened to him? Did he know who? Did he know why? And she still had questions about the weird turn of fate she and Malfoy had experienced. Had he told anyone at all that he had seen her yesterday? Did anyone know she had returned to the Wizarding World, albeit for a few minutes. Questions were swarming around in her brain, but she didn't want to burden him with all her thoughts when he had just woken up from almost dying. She knew that would probably drive him over the edge, and she didn't want to risk the civil behavior between the right now. But she had to know one thing, for his sake.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, what happened to you?"

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 **A/N:**

 **I know it has been a long time since I have updated, but I'm moving into a different house, and these past few months have been very hectic. This story is NOT abandoned, I will just keep updating less frequently. Also, if you managed to catch it, the room number Draco is in is 356, because those are his initials DLM, on the phone keypad :). And I think that this entire story will be in Hermione's POV. It makes it easier to convey the romance between them, and it's easier for me to write. Although I will probably have snippets of Draco's thoughts within the chapters, such as this one.**

 **Just know that this story is not considered abandoned until I explicitly say so. So even if I don't update for a year, it is still not abandoned! :) Thanks guys. Please read and review, and remember, this story will keep on continuing.**


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: The author does not own any recognizable characters, features, or anything regarding the Harry Potter series.

Chapter 5

Seemingly startled by the use of his full name, Malfoy cocked his head to the side and opened his eyes so they were staring directly into hers. His eyes were a beautiful shade of grey; she could have easily lost herself in the fascinating color of them, but she quickly snapped out of the temptation. They were apparently locked in a silent battle of seeing who would blink first. Hermione didn't back down, and finally Malfoy gave in, sighing as he did so. Keeping his eyes squeezed shut, he replied, "I don't know. All I know is that it was a wizard, who used a spell I'd never heard of. I can't tell you more than that."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. The way Malfoy was describing himself, the way his eyes were closed and fists clenched, the way he sounded as if he would never get better, she felt sorry for him. Not in a pitiful way, but like it was her fault that he was in the state he was currently in. She was the brightest witch of their age; she should've been able to find something, anything. She was a doctor from both worlds, and she knew that in both, Draco was dying. He didn't have much time. And she didn't know why she cared, but she knew that she did.

Which was why she was going to help him. No matter what happened, she would make him better. She was living an empty life for the past three years, and she needed a change. Draco would be that change. But for him to be her change, she needed to know why she wanted that to be so. Why was it that Draco Malfoy had changed so much? Ever since she had met him, he had not once called her a Mudblood, or even sneered at her, but instead had been kind and caring.

"Malfoy, can I ask you a completely unrelated question?" She timidly asked, not wanting to disturb him after he had almost died. It might have sounded a bit selfish, but she was dying in suspense to know if he had spread the word that he had seen her in Flourish and Botts. It felt like so long since that incident had occurred, when, in fact, it had only been yesterday.

He replied in that same helpless voice he had used before, "Depends on what it is," he answered with a weak smirk. Typical Malfoy behavior.

"Did you tell anyone that you saw me?" Hermione said. "Yesterday, at Flourish and Botts?"

Malfoy's smirk grew wider, and Hermione was afraid the answer he was about to give was not one she would appreciate. She must have looked apprehensive, because he stopped, and gave a little chuckle.

"Relax Granger. I didn't tell anyone. Frankly, I was too much in shock for my mind to register what had happened. After 3 years of your absence, it was a bit absurd to think it was actually you that I saw. I chalked it up to hallucination, but I guess that wasn't the case."

She breathed a sigh of relief, and gave a nervous smile towards his direction. He might have been telling the truth, but somehow, she believed that he didn't want to admit that he let such a good opportunity slip from his hands to embarrass her.

How the times had changed. Three years ago, Malfoy would have tattled on her adventure even if he had never seen her in the bookstore, just to rile her up. She liked this new version of Draco, but she was a bit uneasy at the fact that life was throwing one thing after another at her all at once.

But if she wanted to help him, he would have to help her understand what had happened. This had to be a team effort.

"Malfoy," she started, "You're obviously aware that I couldn't save you from what happened, and yet neither you or I have any idea what's happened to you. And it doesn't take much from my part to know that the curse is permanent. Draco, you're. . ."

"Dying?" He supplied. "Don't you think I've realized that by now that? You're right, I have no idea what happened, and neither do you. Both you and I have already figured that out. What are you trying to say Hermione?"

"I want to help you." She finally spit out. "I know we've never gotten along, in the 14 years we've known each other, but I think that if we work together, we can find something about what happened to you. I don't want you to die; I don't hate you that much." Hermione finished off with. "But for it to work, WE have to do it."

Draco looked into her warm, chocolate brown eyes, and felt a rush of affection for Hermione. Ever since they were young, he had done nothing but be cruel and insensitive towards her, and had once genuinely hated her enough to want her to die. He had watched without helping at all as she was tortured by his aunt Bellatrix over and over with the Cruciatus Curse. Yet here she was, wanting to sacrifice her time for his sake. How could he ask her to do that for him?

"I c-can't ask you to do that for me." He sputtered. "I already owe you my life Hermione. You've done so much for me, and I can't thank you enough for that. How am I to take another favor?" Draco questioned.

"Draco, it's not a favor. I have to do this. It's more so for me than for you, okay? So please, let me do this, not for you, but with you." She pleaded.

Why was she so kind? Didn't she know what was going on inside of him? Ever since she had entered his life again, he didn't know what to think, or expect. His feelings were going crazy; he didn't want to mess them up even more. And what did she mean by it benefiting her more than him? Couldn't she understand it was his life she was saving?

But something about the tone of her voice, how she was almost pleading with him made him hesitate. She seemed to understand what she meant, even if he couldn't. And he didn't want to deny her anything she was absolutely sure of.

Draco sighed, and looked into her eyes once more. "Okay." He nodded.

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A/N: Hey guys. So, I'm not entirely sure where I want to go with this (I have some sort of vague idea), and I would love to hear suggestions. If you have any, please tell me; you can DM me, or just reply to the story. But I would love to hear your thoughts on this, and I welcome constructive criticism.

You may have noticed that this chapter is more happy than the past one, and that might have been an abrupt change, but I need to get the story moving. If you don't like it, just tell me, maybe we'll work something out. I would love to read what you guys want to put in the story.

Thanks to all, and please read and review!


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: The author does not own any recognizable characters, features, or anything regarding the Harry Potter series.**

 **Chapter 6**

Hermione broke out into a wide smile, stretching from ear to ear. "Great!" She exclaimed. "But first, I need to check if any of your conditions have been making progress or gotten worse."

She rose from the chair, looking relatively better than she had before, with a radiant glow accompanying her face. Giddily walking over to her fancy doctor equipment, she stabilized a few things Draco had no idea about, and began inspecting him in a little too close of a proximity that was way out of his comfort zone.

As she circled around him, he could smell a heavenly-cinnamon like smell coming from her heavenly-cinnamon like color of her hair, which he thought was a nice touch. Her curls accidentally brushed across his face, and he inhaled sharply, hoping she hadn't heard him. Unfortunately, his hopes did not come true when she quickly looked at him and furrowed her brows, forehead creased with worry.

"What's wrong? Does something feel out of place?" She inquired.

"No, nothing. Just a little weak, that's all." He replied, trying to not make it too obvious his heart was beating twice as fast as normal.

Unfortunately, once again, she was a very successful and qualified doctor. She narrowed her eyes at his odd behavior, checked her doctor equipment one more time and muttered, "Huh, that's abnormal." Raising her voice so she was audible she asked, "Draco, your heart rate went up significantly high in the past minute. Are you sure everything is okay? You look a little pink."

He inwardly rolled his eyes, while at the same time calming down the nervous butterflies in his stomach. Leave it to Granger to not know that he was blushing (probably for the first time in his life) because he might have thought that he might have a tiny, little, itsy-bitsy and very small kind of but not really likable type of emotion for her.

If that was even a thing.

And if he actually did feel emotions.

Shaking his head slightly, he nodded his head to confirm that he was alright. Hermione must have been convinced, because she started inspecting his head and scribbled at least two pages of notes on her clipboard, then making her way to inspect his left arm. She frowned a little, but Draco didn't know why. Last time he checked, it seemed perfectly fine to him. It had healed remarkably well in such a short period of time.

But after she had stood still there for a complete five minutes, he started to worry. She was staring off into the distance, not blinking even once the entire time he was staring at her.

"Hello? Hermione?" He asked, waving his hand in front of her face.

She finally blinked, and looked down at him suddenly. For a moment he thought he saw apprehension and fright on her face, but then she relaxed and smiled down on him, her brown eyes warming up again. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thought I lost you there Hermione!" He grinned, softening his features as his trademark smirk grew.

"You're not going to get rid of me that easily!" She joked in return, and went back to checking his arm. After she had finished, she said cheerfully, "It looks like you've improved a lot, so I don't think we have to worry about any immediate danger. But like we discussed before, I think it's important that we start the research as soon as possible, because of, you know. . ."

Draco simply shook his head in reply, solely concentrating on the fact that when she was talking to him, she always referred to them as "we," which for some reason made him feel more happier than he should have been considering that he was dying.

* * *

Hermione was a terrible person. She had always tried her hardest not to judge people based on their past, but on their present and how they would become in the future. Ever since they had met again, Draco had not once shown even a hint of disliking her, and here she was judging him for something he was forced to do, otherwise he would've been killed.

Yet, she couldn't help but remember that that left arm represented all of her bad memories of the war.

The Dark Mark.

Death Eaters. Bellatrix torturing her. Dumbledore falling off the Astronomy Tower. Sirius, Remus, Fred, Tonks, Dobby. . . so many of her loved ones dying. And her parents.

Then her thoughts changed to sad ones after the war, ones that weren't the fault of anybody's but her friends. Ron cheating on her just days before their wedding, Harry and Ginny both supporting Ron, the Daily Prophet mocking her as if she wasn't good enough.

She was lost in thought of all of these horrible memories that she would never be able to escape, when Draco jolted her back into reality. Merlin knows how long she would have been trapped in that misery if he hadn't snapped her awake.

And she didn't ever want to associate Draco with the bad guys again. She knew that he had changed for the better, and even if he didn't say it, she knew that he wasn't going back.

So when she was absolutely sure of what she believed in, only then did her fear ease away, and she began to see him as a friend, not just a casual acquaintance. And only when her fear eased away, did she give him a reassuring smile. Although if it was more for her or Draco, she wasn't sure.

Putting her thoughts in the back of her mind, she erased the doubt she might have planted in Draco's mind and focused on her goal. She needed to help him before time ran out.

He shook her out of her thoughts once more and cheekily smiled, "Let's get started then." Draco stated.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you guys liked that chapter. It certainly contained more Dramione interaction than the previous updates.**

 **And remember, if there's anything you want to add or want to change, all you have to do is DM me or reply in the comments below!**

 **Also, in case you were wondering how often I'll update I can't say for sure. My schedule for updating is pretty random, but since my chapters are only around 1,000 words, I'll try to update at least every 2 weeks. A lot of times I'll update sooner. Remember what I said before, this story will NEVER be abandoned. Even if I don't update for 5 years, don't think it's abandoned.**

 **If I ever even consider abandoning this story, I will tell you and I will delete it. But the chances of this happening are 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% (because nothing is ever 0%) :)**

 **PS: My birthday was on Sunday! I finally feel older and wiser than before!**

 **Thanks for reading, and please remember to read and review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: The author does not own any recognizable characters, features, or anything regarding the Harry Potter series.**

 **Chapter 7**

Draco couldn't stand the hospital anymore. It hit too close to home and reminded him of the part of his past he was trying so hard to escape.

The war had taken its toll on everyone, even if they weren't involved. And for someone who was in the inner circle of Death Eaters, it had hit him the hardest.

He didn't know why he was in the condition he was in, and why some particularly nasty wizard decided to target him. All he knew was that he know had a loving relationship with his mother, his father was locked away in Azkaban, and that he ran one of the most successful companies in the Wizarding World. He also knew that he had finally overcome his muggle prejudices, and had changed for the better.

And he wasn't going back. Maybe that was the reason he was attacked. He did make it quite obvious he didn't hate muggleborns anymore, but in fact almost admired them. Without any magic, their civilization had become so advanced, advanced enough to rival the Wizarding World. Of course football would never match the beauties of Quidditch, but it was a fairly entertaining sport. He even had multiple TVs installed in the manor and in his office. Since his business was a technological company, he was trying out a few experiments of streaming Quidditch on Wizarding channels.

But no matter how much he had tried to leave his wretched past behind, meeting Hermione Granger for the second time in a week, and being reminded of her caring personality had wasted all of his efforts. He remembered the "Mudblood" scar that had been left on her arm, and for the past two days had been cursing himself about how he could have stopped the torture she had gone through because of Bellatrix.

And if he was going to start working with Hermione, he needed space to breathe. His mother had told him that the Wizarding World had now accepted him, and he needed to let go of the past. He wasn't evil, and he knew everyone was convinced of that. But was Hermione convinced of that? He had started doubting himself again the minute he saw her in Flourish and Botts. And stuck in the hospital like the helpless person he had been when Hermione was being tortured flooded his memories with that one moment on replay. He couldn't stand it.

"Hermione," he said.

"Yes?" She asked, tidying up her equipment and pulling her messy hair into a ponytail.

"If we're going to start researching about my curse, don't you think it's a better idea if I don't stay on this hospital bed unable to move so I can help you? The hospital brings back memories of. . . you know. . . the war."

He could see her stiffen a little bit, but then she smiled, and relaxed her shoulders. "If you don't mind, do you think you could help me find a place to stay? I don't know that much about muggle London." Draco continued.

"Umm, actually Draco, I have an extra room in my apartment if you want to stay there. I just figure that it would be easier to work together if we were close by. Besides, I don't really want you to stay in the hospital either. It brings back memories too, so I rarely even show up for work." Hermione stammered.

* * *

Draco wasn't supposed to act like someone with a schoolboy crush, but internally he was squealing at the fact that he was going to be closer to Hermione than he anticipated. He was imagining the same apartment building at best, but she had just offered for him to stay in the very same room as her. How could he ever say no to that glorious opportunity?!

"Works for me," he shrugged, and tried to act cool. "But why did you decide to become a Healer when you knew that memories would come back to haunt you? Why don't you just find another job? You have plenty of qualifications, and you are the smartest witch of our age."

"Why didn't you ever come back to the Wizarding World Hermione?"

Hermione just stood there, and he thought he saw her eyes well up, and she just shrugged back at him. Draco knew the answer to his own question, but he didn't know the whole story. He knew that the Daily Prophet had said that she had cheated on Ron 3 years ago, but somehow he knew that she had enough integrity not to do that. She was one of the most brilliant people he knew, even if he never liked to admit it. But he couldn't figure out why she would leave when she did nothing wrong.

He changed the subject; he didn't like the awkward silence his questions had led to. "So when am I moving in? The sooner the better."

"First I just need to make sure I fix your bones and anything you might have broken. I did some healing spells in the morning, but they're going to take some time. I made a list of all the symptoms and signs I saw. It could help in our research. Do you have any stuff with you that we need to shift into my apartment?" she eagerly rambled.

"Just me and my briefcase. I had come to London to set up a meeting with some wizards who wanted to open up a branch of Malfoy Industries in the muggle world when I got injured. I just apparated to the closest hospital, which happened to be this one. I think a nurse took my briefcase before she got you." Draco explained.

Using the Accio charm, she called upon Draco's briefcase and it came flying into her hand.

"All ready to go." She smiled. "Let's just wait until tonight when you're bones are healed and we'll be able to start tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me." He cheekily answered.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys. I know it took a little bit longer than expected to update, but I was having trouble about how to go from Chapter 6. I know this chapter was one of the shorter ones. But hope you all liked the Draco's point of view. If you guys have any ideas, feel free to tell me!**

 **Also, later in the story I want it to be where Hermione and Draco close enough that they talk about more personal things, such as Draco and Lucius and Hermione and Ron, a little bit of which you guys saw in this chapter. I have a plan to make it that Hermione and Draco will go to Azkaban and Draco and Lucius will improve their relationship. I also have it that Hermione will completely open up to Draco about what happened with Ron and that Dramione will finally happen.**

 **If you guys have any other ideas, I would love to include them, especially since I'm kind of iffy about where this story is going to go.**

 **Thanks everyone, and make sure to read and review!**

 **P.S. - I'd also love to have a Beta Reader, so if you'd like feel free to DM me!**


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